Around 3,000 trucks have gathered in queues on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine due to the blockade of transport. In addition, a video of an attempt to block the passage of buses with passengers was posted online. Ukraine hopes for concrete actions by its Polish colleagues to prevent such situations and solve the problem as a whole, said Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, UNN reports.
The blockade of the border will have grave consequences for our countries. I spoke about this at a meeting with the head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Jacek Severa. There is only one winner in the blockade of rail and passenger transport - Russia. We hope for concrete actions by our Polish colleagues to prevent such situations and solve the problem as a whole
According to the Ministry of Reconstruction, Kubrakov held urgent talks with the head of Poland's National Security Bureau "on the inadmissibility of blocking the border, in particular, passenger transport.
The talks were reportedly held against the backdrop of a video posted on social media showing a crowd of Polish protesters blocking the passage of buses with passengers.
Blocking the border is a direct threat to the security of the defending country. Such actions have a negative impact on our confrontation with the common enemy called Russia. Women and children who have sought refuge from the war and are returning home for various reasons cannot be held hostage to business interests. Such actions and examples of inhumane treatment of Ukrainians at the EU border can be used by Russian special services to stir up an artificial conflict between our countries. We expect concrete actions from our Polish colleagues to prevent such situations and solve the problem in general
Deputy Minister Serhiy Derkach is reportedly in contact with Polish Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Pawel Ganczar and emphasizes that despite the suspension of the blockade by Polish carriers, the situation at the border is becoming even more critical.
"Currently, 6 checkpoints on the Polish side of the border are blocked. The most critical situation is at the Yagodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, where the movement of freight transport has stopped altogether. Humanitarian and perishable goods and fuel are not allowed through. This has a direct impact on our defense capabilities. Also, empty trucks traveling for critical goods cannot leave Ukraine through this checkpoint. They are forced to wait in a 15-kilometer-long queue for empty trucks at the Nyzhankovychi - Malchovice checkpoint, where registration in the eCherga has been temporarily suspended. Thus, drivers are literally living on the road without normal conditions," emphasized Derkach.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Poland is said to be "in touch with the Polish police and border guard service 24/7 and immediately responds to reports of attempts to block passenger transport.
Addendum
According to the ministry, the following roads are currently blocked for free truck traffic: Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv, Ustyluh-Zosin, Shehyni-Medyka, Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, and Krakivets-Korchova.
"Thanks to the eCherga service, there are no physical queues on the Ukrainian side of the border, while about 3,000 trucks are waiting on the road in Poland," the ministry said.